The sport of bicycling is a very popular and growing sport. The transportation of bicycles from home to favorite riding areas is very important, and because bicycles have become so technically advanced in recent years, the method of transporting them is also very important. There are a number of different bicycle racks on the market at the present time and new ones appear frequently. The two most popular ways of mounting a bicycle rack to a vehicle are to the roof or to the rear end of the vehicle.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,461,410 to Tartaglia (Jul. 24, 1984) discloses a rear mount bicycle rack secured through a ball attachment aperture in a trailer hitch. U.S. Pat. No. 4,676,414 to Deguevara (Jun. 30, 1987) discloses a rear mount bicycle rack which is inserted into a tubular trailer hitch receiver, a common method of mounting modern rear mount bicycle racks. Such racks generally hang the bicycles from the main crossbar of the frame perpendicular to the vehicle.
Because the bicycles hang however, they often swing and cause damage to both the bicycle and the vehicle. It is also very difficult to secure the bicycle to the rack, and people often resort to "bungee cords" or other methods to adhere the bicycles securely. When rear mounted racks are in place on the vehicle, they can limit or exclude access to the rear door or trunk of the vehicle, and removing and replacing the rack frequently in order to gain access to the trunk may cause damage to the paint and exterior of the vehicle.
With the advent of the "quick release" bicycle hub, roof mounted racks have become quite popular. U.S. Pat. No. 3,848,784 to Shimano et al. (Nov. 19, 1974) discloses a roof mount rack, the use of which involves removal of the front wheel of the bicycle, and the slotted front forks of the bicycle frame are clamped to the rack by means of a quick release bicycle hub. The bicycle frame then stands upright on the vehicle's roof.
Although roof mounted racks are more likely to secure bicycles to a vehicle than a rear mount rack, they present other problems to the cyclist and his or her vehicle. In order to mount a bicycle to a roof mounted rack, one must lift the bicycle to the top of the vehicle and then attach it to the rack. Such an action can be very difficult with one's arms extended; trying to balance and hold the weight of the bicycle. If one is trying to put more than one bicycle on the roof mounted rack, he or she must be able to reach across to the center of the vehicle roof, which is even more difficult and awkward. Many vans and recreational vehicles are too high to reach without a stepladder or some other type of step. When bicycles are mounted on the roof mounted racks, it increases the vehicle's height making it difficult to enter a garage or carport.
Roof mounted racks are also not intended for use on convertibles or recreational vehicles without tops. Installing roof mounted racks on the vehicle is also very difficult, often requiring the expertise of a factory-trained technician. Most roof mounted racks are not easily removed from the vehicle and are therefore left on the vehicle in a semi-permanent state, susceptible to vandalism and theft. During removal, a risk exists for scratches or other damage to the vehicle.
Another method of mounting bicycles to vehicles is to mount them vertically on the back. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 5,269,446 to Biehn (Dec. 14, 1993) discloses such a device. However such devices have apparently enjoyed limited success since they are either too difficult to attach to the vehicle or are too large and awkward.
It is apparent that a need exists for a new and improved method of transporting bicycles on a vehicle.